Congregation Adopts Soldiers

By
Roman Martyniuk, NJDMAVA/PA

In
the aftermath of the
commemorations and
memorial services
marking the first anniversary
of the terrorist attacks
against America, a number
of stories of smaller heartwarming
occurrences have
begun to surface.

One
such story involves
a small community church
in Salem County. The 175-
member Richwood United
Methodist Church adopted
the troops from their local
area who were called upon
to provide enhanced security
at the Salem-Hope
Nuclear Generating Plant.

"The good people of Richwood
United were well aware of the 'quality'
the Guard added to our community,"
said Pastor Reverend Dr. Steven C. Herman, a 10-year veteran of the
New Jersey Army National Guard
and chaplain with the 5th Squadron,
117th Cavalry. "The dedication and
willingness to serve in time of emergency demonstrated is very
much appreciated."

The
focus was to prepare “
holiday goodie packages” for each of the 62
troops assigned to the security
detail. The church members
took great pains to wrap
each of the gift packages in a
manner appropriate to the
festive flavor of that particular
holiday. The contents
also reflected a variety of
traditional holiday treats including
cookies, homemade
baked goods, candy, and
other tasty surprises.